• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

crownsteler

Colonel
66 Badges
Nov 19, 2010
936
1.208
  • Europa Universalis IV: Mandate of Heaven
  • Stellaris: Galaxy Edition
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Cadet
  • Crusader Kings II: Reapers Due
  • Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man
  • Stellaris: Leviathans Story Pack
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Together for Victory
  • Crusader Kings II: Monks and Mystics
  • Stellaris - Path to Destruction bundle
  • Cities: Skylines - Mass Transit
  • Stellaris: Galaxy Edition
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Death or Dishonor
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
  • Stellaris: Humanoids Species Pack
  • Stellaris: Apocalypse
  • Europa Universalis IV: Dharma
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Expansion Pass
  • Cities: Skylines - Campus
  • Stellaris: Nemesis
  • Victoria 3 Sign Up
  • Crusader Kings II: Charlemagne
  • Cities: Skylines - Snowfall
  • Crusader Kings II: Conclave
  • Europa Universalis IV: Cossacks
  • Cities: Skylines - After Dark
  • Crusader Kings II: Horse Lords
  • Crusader Kings II: Way of Life
  • Crusader Kings II: Legacy of Rome
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods
  • Stellaris
  • Europa Universalis IV: Res Publica
  • Crusader Kings II: The Republic
  • Crusader Kings II: Sword of Islam
  • Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham
  • Victoria 2
  • Imperator: Rome Deluxe Edition
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Crusader Kings III
  • Pride of Nations
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Prison Architect
  • 500k Club
In game there is currently an upward cycle where, as a state grows, it gains more POPs, and with more POPs it gains more levies. This imo contributes to snowballing as growing will always make you stronger. I am experimenting with levy sizes to make the snowballing is inevitable, to allow smaller states to have a better chance to stand up against larger states, and to allow larger states to actually fail once in a while.

I am unfortunately running into a problem I can't solve, but somebody here could perhaps help me with. The problem is decreasing the size of legions, I don't know how to do this, or if it is even possible. I am making levy sizes more dynamic throughout the game, but legions always remain at their recruited strength. So that even if the supported levy size is 1, you can still have 100 cohorts as long as you recruited them before. I need to find a way so that, when your legion size exceeds the levy size, the legion size gets reduced. Anybody got any ideas?

Current changes I made:
- default levy size is 1% (might also put it at 0%, who knows)
- City states gain +15% levy size
- Local powers gain now extra levy size
- Regional powers lose -2% levy size
- Major powers lose -4% levy size
- Great powers lose -6% levy size

This means that, as you grow larger, your army grows smaller relatively speaking. Call this inefficiencies due to realm size, people getting lost in bureaucracy, or just plain additional corruption, the goal is to put a break on levy sizes for larger states, making it somewhat less snowbally.

- Each point in charisma for current leader increases levy size by 0.75%
- In a monarchy 100% legitimacy means +7.5% levy size (50% = 3.75%, 10% = 0.75%, etc)
- In a republic laws determine levy size (but might make it dependent on senate approval as above)
- Tribes gain a large bonus to default levy size (+7.5-10%)
- Tribes gain levy size based on centralisation (-100 centralisation is +25% levy size, +100 centralisation is +10% levy size)

The goal here is that levy sizes are less static and more fluctuating throughout the game, with your current ruler and government form playing a very important role in what armies you can raise. Tying it into Charisma makes that stat more important/useful (call it the ability to inspire loyalty from the troops). Furthermore I tried to differate between monarchies and republics by allowing monarchies to raise larger armies (under good rules) that republics, but republics having a more stable levy size less dependent on current ruler. I am not too sold on tribes, but I think that is really the only unique mechanic for tribes I could tie it into.

I ran a few test games, and those have given very interesting results. The game is far more dynamic and unpredictable, and -really interesting- the Mauryans and no longer a completely unstoppable force. I once almost saw the Mauryans collapse. Almost; as despite having a negative levy size, they still had an 80+ cohort legion, and -together with their base levies from the regions- they were still too powerful for the other Indian kingdoms (but not too much).

So for this all to work, I need to find a way to reduce legion sizes when the levy sizes also decreases. Can anybody help here?
I thought about running a script during on_ruler_change or on_ending_war, but I don't know what script would achieve my goal.

Ideally I would have a legion reduce by half the excess amount of troops (so if legion is 50 and supported levy is 30, the legion would reduce to 40), this to make sure that a single bad ruler will not totally end the game (call it surviving on inertia), but a string of bad rulers will result in a gradual erosian of the army strength.

Ideally I would also tie levy size to different attributes based on, for example, culture or government form.

Any help would be much appreciated!
 
  • 3Like
  • 1
Reactions:
Perhaps make army maintenence costs more expensive? With low spending being quite expensive already and etc?

Levies wouldn't be affected and only legions would be more expensive.

Once you're done I'd love to try out your mod :D